Antimicrobial and wound healing properties of cotton fabrics functionalized with oil-in-water emulsions containing bark extract and Pycnogenol® for biomedical applications.

Topical formulations containing 1-2% of bark extract and Pycnogenol® have been prepared to investigate the effect of flavonoids on the stability of O/W emulsions, which were subjected to physicochemical and thermal stability tests. The formulations have been applied to cotton fabrics to evaluate antimicrobial properties against and . Furthermore, prepared cotton fabrics have been tested on keratinocytes seeded in cell culture inserts for wound healing. Results of freeze thaw cycle test indicated enhanced thermo-stability with no major changes in pH and viscosity, likewise the results of centrifugation assay. However, the addition of Pycnogenol® has tremendously decreased the viscosity of the topical formulation (10,900 cp.). In terms of antimicrobial activity, 2% treated cotton fabrics decreased the proliferation of 78.8%, which were more effective than that of Pycnogenol® formulation (62.9%). As for wound healing, 2% treated cotton fabrics increased HaCaT keratinocyte cell proliferation and accelerated the cell-free gap closure compared to Pycnogenol® and untreated control groups. The obtained results indicate the utilization of pine bark for developing an eco-friendly natural antifungal finish for medical textiles.